Chili pepper, originating in Central and South America, was introduced into France during the 16th century. After first being used medicinally, it became popular as a condiment and for the conservation of meats. It is now a cornerstone of Basque cuisine, where it has gradually replaced black pepper and it is a key ingredient in piperade.[2]

This pepper attains only a maximum grade of 4,000 on the Scoville scale and is therefore considered only mildly hot. It can be purchased as festoons of fresh or dried peppers, as ground pepper, or puréed or pickled in jars.[2]

Non-AOC espelette peppers are grown and marketed in California as being fresher than imported AOC Espelette peppers.[5]

According to the Syndicat du Piment d’Espelette, the cooperative formed to get the AOC designation, there are 160 producers of AOC Piment d'Espelette that plant 183 hectares (450 acres) producing 203 tons of powder Piment d'Espelette, and 1300 tons of raw pepper,[6] as at the 2014 harvest.[7]